Taste
by Marla.and.RubyT
Summary: Just another Yue oneshot...


**Before we began, we should say that this is a weird one for us. It was written very quickly and we hope it doesn't show, but if it does, we'd be happy to take it down. This is just a little oneshot we wrote as a way to procrastinate on our 100 drabble.**

**Honestly, the story is a little weird, even for us. However, we don't mind it. Hopefully Yue isn't too OOC...**

**We don't own ATLA, so no fireflakes for us...so sad...**

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You can only see what is shown,

Only hear what is said,

Only feel what is there,

Only smell what is potent,

Only taste what is given.

Humans show themselves. They speak fluently throughout their day. They exist as tangent beings, leaving their potent fingerprints for all to remember. They can give themselves to anything and everything; and they receive in return.

Above or perhaps below, but never truly equal, the Moon sits and watches. She sees them move about and can hear their faintest whispers as clearly as their loudest shrieks. She can feel them breathe their collective breaths and smell their sweet aromas.

But her taste is lost; as no one gives her anything anymore.

The Moon doesn't mind though. She is a spirit now, and spirits do not take from whom they give.

Some spirits find this irritating, but not her. Unlike the Harvest, she never withholds when she is bitter. Never would she dream of burning villages like that of the Volcano, or destroy ships like that of the Storm. The Moon is something that must remain calm in any situation.

Love plays tricks on the humans. She snickers at their confusion and chuckles at their pain. Hate turns with her in an eternal dance, both enjoying the ups and downs of their victims below and reveling in their lack of attachment to them.

The Moon turns away, disgusted at their games. She knows she is only there to fulfill her duties; nothing more, nothing less.

The Ocean just shrugs. Even he admits to taking lives when the mood strikes him. Humans are expendable, and it feels good to give in to petty emotions sometimes. Boredom can be just as strong a motivator as hate or love.

But no, the Moon doesn't understand. She is new here and has yet to learn her power. There are no consequences for a spirit. The Sun tells her that a little hedonism is okay; as he pushes down upon the penniless farmer and withers away his crops for the mere fun of it. He says that the fear keeps humans on their toes. Without their fear, spirits will be taken for granted.

The Moon just shakes her head and continues to watch the people below as they slumber under her calm embrace. Spirits are supposed to be wise and caring, but the Moon finds that she cannot connect with these petty fools. They lack discipline and it has turned them all into spoiled children, crying out for attention.

One night, however, Yue couldn't help but fall from her ivory pedestal.

She was gazing down upon her little burdens carefully when a strange sight caught her eye. A ceremony of white and blue and green and brown sat below on the earth plane and she couldn't help but eavesdrop. It had been the strange combination of colors that had caught her attention, and what she saw made her weep.

It was a wedding. A beautiful bride in green walked down to meet a handsome groom in blue. Friends surrounded them with proud smiles on their faces and gifts in their arms. They were all so happy, yet it made her sad.

The Ocean came to comfort her. "It is okay," he mumbled as she wept. "People must move on. He has forgotten you, but it is as it should be. I am your only partner now."

His sister appeared as well, her painted face offering a sympathetic smile. "You mustn't be sad, Yue," the River joined in, placing a compassionate hand on her shoulder. "Yes it hurts now, but we all made our sacrifices. Pretty soon it won't hurt anymore."

Just then the Storm reared its ugly head into the conversation, sliding between the River and the Moon with a mischievous smirk on his face. "They're right Yue, feeling sad will get you nowhere. Let your frustration become, not tears, but something you can use! Crying is a waste of time when those whom it's aimed at cannot hear you. Make them hear you, Yue!"

She looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes, a cool numbness taking over where melancholy once sat. "…You're right…" she replied calmly.

The River and the Ocean said nothing.

Gracefully, the Moon stretched out her arms. Without falter, the tides responded, pulling away from the frozen shores of the South Pole and back into their icy depths. She smiled sadistically at her power and waited.

Finally her moment arrived as the bride neared close to the shore and peered down into the waterless depths with a puzzled look upon her face. She motioned to the groom, who then sidled up with a similar expression.

The Moon released her grip on the tides and pushed them forward, allowing a single wave of unimaginable proportions to crash over onto the ice.

"I give them all so much…" she muttered, turning away and not bothering to look upon the utter destruction she has caused. "…But I receive so little."

The Storm grins and pats her back with pride. The River and Ocean look on to see the groom below as he mourns for his missing bride; pulled back into the black depths of the sea. How the Moon's aim had been so perfectly accurate, they would never know.

"We understand," the Storm responds, a twisted smile across his lips. "Sometimes humans can be ignorant of who they hurt. That's why we are really here; to keep them in line."

The Moon remains stoic, uncaring as the River and Ocean go on to describe the scene of chaos below.

Finally, long after the River and Storm have left, she speaks to her partner alone. In a hushed voice, she whispers something to the Ocean that he has long since lost the memories to comprehend.

"La…my eyes are weary and my ears are tired. Tonight I want to block their stench and forget their existence…I'm hungry, La…"

He cocks his head and raises a brow in confusion. "Hungry?"

She merely nods and looks down upon the billions of undisturbed towns stretching out far across the horizon. "We have several hours before sunrise. It's been far too long since the humans have offered us anything. I want to taste something by tomorrow…"

The Ocean shot her a suspicious glance but otherwise said nothing.

Together they raised their arms and pulled the tides back into their depths. Even the Ocean couldn't help but join in his partner's sadistic pleasure as they waited for each droplet in the sea to fall into place before they would unleash their power upon the unsuspecting world.

And that power _did_ feel good. Perhaps it was about time they started receiving something in return for all they gave. It had been a long time since he had last tasted the tribes' wonderful offerings they had once brought in the dark ages of the past. Yes it may be a step back in their culture, but he really did miss the virgin sacrifices. Maybe the old Tui couldn't understand that, but something told him that Yue would be a bit easier to convince…

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**Don't give us that look. We warned you it was a little weird!**


End file.
